Framework for assessing vertebrate invasive species damage: the case of feral swine in the United States
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Framework for assessing vertebrate invasive species damage: the case of feral swine in the United States Stephanie Shwiff . Alex Pelham . Steven Shwiff . William Haden-Chomphosy . Vienna R. Brown . Karina Ernst . Aaron Anderson
Received: 20 December 2019 / Accepted: 29 June 2020 Ó The Author(s) 2020
Abstract The aim of this study is to provide a general overview of the economic impacts associated with vertebrate invasive species (VIS) in the United States and suggests a methodology for differentiating types of damage. We identify a general framework for categorizing VIS damage that separates this damage into three main categories: destruction, depredation, and disease. We then examine how this framework fits into current published estimates of damage and management costs. Economic impacts associated with feral swine damage and management are plentiful enough to warrant separate treatment from other VIS and are observed in all three categories. For all VIS examined in this study, damage estimates associated with destruction provide the most evaluations of VIS
impacts, especially destruction of crops. Evaluations of the losses associated with depredation are largely absent from the literature. We find that while published studies have estimated substantial economic impact associated with VIS, the current state of the literature focusing on VIS frequently fails to address all of the categories of damage, is difficult to compare or replicate, and is unsuited for extrapolation to nation-wide estimates of damage. Keywords Depredation Destruction Disease Economics Feral swine Vertebrate invasive species
Introduction S. Shwiff K. Ernst (&) A. Anderson USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA e-mail: [email protected] A. Pelham University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA S. Shwiff Texas A&M, Commerce, TX, USA W. Haden-Chomphosy Hendrix College, Conway, AR, USA V. R. Brown USDA/APHIS/WS National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Invasive species are a persistent and significant source of economic loss within the United States. With annual damage estimates exceeding $100 billion, these species have become a leading cause of environmental change and global biodiversity loss (Wilcove et al. 1998; Mack et al. 2000; Sala et al. 2000; Pimentel et al. 2005). Harmful non-native species highlight the undeniable link and feedback loops between ecology and economics (Perrings et al. 2002; Julia et al. 2007). Economic systems, for example the exotic pet trade, are a primary route of introduction for non-native species, and ecological systems determine whether or not an environment is susceptible to invasion by one of those species.
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Invasive species diminish the ability of ecosystems to provide services, such as water filtration and forage coverage, and often render livestock and crops to be unmarketable (Julia et al. 2007; Margolis et al. 2005; McAusland and Cos
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